eSight: Eyewear That Brings Vision To People With Legal Blindness

 There are quite many assistive technology  devices available for people with low vision or legal blindness. However, there is one Canadian company that actually brings vision back to people with visual impairment, thus making them as independent as possible and allowing them to carry on with their daily lives without the need for various other assistive technology devices and apps.

eSight has invented an eyewear with sophisticated technology that brings back vision to people with legal blindness that may have been caused by several eye conditions like macular degeneration, glaucoma, retinis pigmentosa to name a few. The eyewear consists of a headset that houses a high definition camera used to capture objects the person is looking at. The headset utilizes eSight’s proprietary “bioptic tilt”, a feature that lets the user use their peripheral vision. The headset also has technology that can significantly correct impediments like blurriness, blind spots, inability to detect contrast and other symptoms that reduce vision. The image captured is sent to the controller – a small device attached to the headset that processes the image and sends it back to OLED screens on the headset to deliver a real time feed of what the person is looking at. The headset is just a little bigger than a regular pair of glasses and can be easily worn and taken off when not needed.

People have used eSight while doing all sorts of activities – from rock climbing, ice skating, curling, to  using their computers and consoles. Although eSight eyewear is water resistant, it is not water proof, so swimming with it is not recommended. Students have also used it in classroom settings without any trouble.

So far, there have been quite many eSight success stories where people have regained their vision back (or saw their friends, family, surroundings for the first time).  Check out some of the great stories here and on their website.

eSight costs $15,000 and is currently available in the US and Canada. The company understands that not everyone who need eSight eyewear may be able to afford it so they work with other sponsors to make sure a person gets their eyewear funded. The cost includes training needed to know how to use eSight eyewear.

Their blog is a great resource and they are always publishing information on how to use eSight eyewear, how it helps people with various eye conditions, how to use it at work or school and various success stories as well. Demos are free and can be requested via their website.

Image source: eSight